3. Hope.

Armin

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Now it has been a month almost, me and Adrian sometimes cross paths and spend time...I was falling for him day by day. He remembers every single thing and takes care of me. His eyes always drip honey when he sees me...his one particular line was stuck in my hard that he told me last night...after pulling me in a loose hug.

"I felt like not wanting to live on that day of fire, i was't exactly planning to survive because honestly I didn't had anything to look forward to if i survived but when you saved me I realized that and THAT moment i was given someone to live for....."

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After what seems like hours , it was almost lunch time. I made my way towards the elevators but they almost full; so I decided to take the stairs. As I was walking down, I felt like as if someone was following me. I felt a chill down my spine....in a negative way. So, I started to walk faster but with every step, this person behind me would pick up that same pace and eventually caught up to me. I turned around in a haste, only to find a familiar phase, it was the secretary of the general manager here, me and him were never properly acquainted but right now he was looking at me with a sort of such creepy eyes. I greeted him and was about to turn around, until his mouth opened....he smelled like cheap cigarettes.

"Where are you going?"

"Just downstairs"

"Alone? why? and you are taking stairs as well..baby"

God he is getting on my nerves...."None of your concern!" I remarked as I proceeded to leave but his nails dig into my skin as he pushed me against the wall real hard.

"Look i know you don't exactly work here...but oh my baby...you drive me crazy with lust...." His grip was so hard that it was hard to get out. He stroke a kick on my knee and took advantage by placing a hand on my mouth as his hands started to travel on my body.....up ....down...left...right....some off-limits areas. As much as I tried to get out of his grip, he would slam me against the wall more harder. I attacked his ribs and then his jaw. When he finally fell to the ground with his mouth bleeding. I tried to make a run only to feel a sharp pain under my chest, near the end of my rib cage, I looked up as I saw him smiling like a creep with a blade in his hand which was dripping with blood....my blood.... I hissed in pain but continued to run away from him. He grabbed my wrist so I removed my heel and attacked him with it. His head started to bleed. He cursed underneath his breath and grabbed my hair as he slammed me against the wall forcefully by applying pressure on the bloody wound. I saw my blood drip in drops after every 5 seconds.

"Stand still will you now?" he said furiously as he began to continue what he was doing.

"You disgust me ....Get off!" I remarked as I gathered every single ounce of energy in my body and kicked him....unfortunately the wound started to hurt more and he caught up again and immediately pushed me down some stairs. That caused me to get lightheaded as drops of my blood were embellished on the stair's floor. He strode over while humming and grabbed my neck harshly.

"You...will regret! Your past! your present and the future of yours in hell!" he said as his hands started to hold my face and his disgusting mouth was under my jaw. "but....I will first explore you my baby!" He was continuously pressing my wound very slowly while he just laughed like a psychopath....at this point I tried to move but he would press the wound and the pain I was feeling was not helping at all...and then I heard some door opening..... It caused him to divert his attention towards the door and by taking the opportunity I kicked him right where it must hurt. The next thing I know is that, the man in front of me was hissing in pain as if he was electrocuted only to notice that he had a taser that he was about to use on me but he ended up tasting his own medicine. My gaze shifted from that monster to the other person....Adrian.....he was walking down the stairs hastily before his eyes grasp what was happening and were telling me that he was on the verge of executing the thought of killing that monster who tried to.... force him on me and held some....regret? He quickly came to where I was but he looked out of breath and his eyes softened as he laid his gaze on me. I was shaking due to pain...he looked back at that man and immediately grabbed my hand and we got out of there.

"You.....what...are you.." I tried to speak but I was panting and catching my breath.... "No time to explain, just wait a moment." he said, his expression was tense and full of worry.... as he picked me up and moved towards the sleek matte black car which I presume was his and it was his since he pressed unlock button on his car key chain and the headlights started to flash. at this point, I wanted to ask him like a billion of questions but due to pain, I really didn't had any energy left so I stayed quite.....

He slid in the driver 's seat as I was still in his arms. My head was buried in his neck as all I was able to smell was his cologne ...light scent of caramel...

He drove in a fast speed while I was resting in his lap, as every moment passes by the panic in his eyes increases. I don't know who he called or what he was saying but I felt lightheaded as each turn we took.

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9:23 pm

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"Thankfully, the wound was near vital organs but it didn't hit them, if you want you can be discharged. Now, I may take my leave if you don't have any questions." The doctor remarked as Adrian just nodded assuring that nothing else is needed....we just sat in a silence for a while...before he broke the silence.

"let's go....shall we?" he asked with a small smile on his face.

"How did you get there?"

"I told you....my friend worked there....."he replied in a soft voice as he ran his fingers through his hair.

"But the office shifted with only compulsory staff for now....." I said. He moved in his usual pace and although I tried to catch up with him but stopped in mid way due to the pain causing a yelp to slip out of my mouth as I curled in my own frame.

He immediately stopped and grabbed my waist lightly to support me. I looked up at him and gave him a small smile reassuring that I am fine. Upon that he said " are you sure you are okay? "

I just nodded, telling him that I was fine.

" about my friend, he is a part of that staff..."

"Who is he? .."

"Him.....that man at the stairs....can we please not talk about him?...I want to kill him!"

After that sentence..I also didn't ask him questions...must be hard to see his friend as a monster. We were walking through the city center as the city lights really just made everything looks enchanted.....the city was on a valley area so the city center was at the hill from where you can see the city from.....I leaned on the reeling while glancing at the view. The air was cold and my nose was getting colder like the cat's. He noticed and placed his trench coat on my shoulders.I almost opened my mouth to decline the politeness when he just shut his eyes for a long moment gesturing me that its okay.

"so....you okay?" he asked and I turned my head towards him..."Yeah thanks to you!" I remarked with a dry laugh.

"Mentally?"

"I will be soon..." I replied taking a sigh and whispered, "I always had to...". I met Adrian's gaze while he just looked at me with ...pity

"Just so you know I am not pitying you....I am awfully concerned" he put more pressure on the word 'awfully'...I just chuckled at his comment. I was kind of flustered that he knew exactly what I was thinking as he just looked me with a small grin.

"By the way, what do you do?" I asked as in response I was met with.....just silence...before I can say anything, the big billboard sized screen on a building in middle of the city center started to cast a breaking news.

"IT WAS ALLEGEDLY REPORTED THAT SOME RECENT PAST ACTIVITIES, INVOLVES WHITE MAFIA AND POLICE ARE EXPECTING THIS SOME SORT OF WARNING SO RED ALERTS HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED!!!"

As these words echoed in my ears, Adrian just chuckled as if he heard something incredibly foolish. "What?" I inquired.....he just took a breath..."Do you like me?" he asked, while my cheeks heated up.

"Why the sudden question?"

"Just wondering "

"I mean you are such a honest and soft person so anyone would like you..."

"me and soft?" this time...his words carry a strict demeanour.

"Yeah...." I said almost in a whisper.

"well then....." he said as he straitened his posture and turned towards me, I followed his movement.

"Well then, what do you think about mafia people?" he asked while tilting his head a little left..

"Hmmmmm..." I paused to think about my thinking on mafia people. It took me more time to get the words into my mouth than I intended to but...

"Do you also think that they are bastards and torture people absolutely without any reasons and just are killing here and there committing crimes?" he asked with a sad smirk.

"Honestly, don't get me wrong but...no! in my eyes mafia are just businessmen who do business with some extreme means....if one commits breach of contract or breach of trust they just don't always follow regular laws or courts but sometimes follow their own laws and hold their own courts, that's all!" I said as he just looked at me with.....satisfaction ...

Before I knew he just slid his hand on my waist and pulled me towards him closing the distance between us as his lips landed on mine, the peck turned into a slow kiss, the slow kiss turned into a deep one and eventually into a passionate one. his grip on my waist tightened but still not at the place where the wound was as my hand were just moving through his brunette hair. At this point we were making out, I was comfortable since almost no one was around. I would be lying if I don't mention that, THAT was exactly what I needed. Something in me told me that he is going to go far away....I already knew that no matter what I do...he was already far out my reach. His grip slowly loosened as he broke the kiss.We both were catching our breathes while our foreheads were still collided....we were still in each other's arms as his one hand traveled up to my face tucking a strand of hair behind my ear and cupping my cheek afterwards.

"I always wondered how your lips tasted...at last now I know....they taste strawberry and cherry like....I am gonna miss you....."

"Why? where are you going ? We are gonna meet again right? ..." I said as my eyes stated to get moist.. He noticed and his thumb stroked my cheek softly as he just gave a small and sad smile.

"let me leave now and don't be sad, everything I told you about how I feel was-...... I was a deception, a mirage of your sight...so....try to forget me please? I don't want to leave! Because I know I won't be able to forget you." he said....

"then don't leave...why are you leaving?" I spoke as he just shook his head and then stepped away, his hand left my cheek as my hands grabbed it, he gave my hand a small squeeze and he took a few steps back while maintaining our eye contact. Soon, he was far enough that his hand slipped from mine. I saw a tear roll down his face as he just looked down and gave away a dry laugh.

"Because it's time to let this businessman of your definition go, I will miss you.... And if my intentions were genuine, I may have had some courage to hold you but....every single passing minute I-I-....Just know that I genuinely started to like you a long ago and I think I always will."

That was his last sentence, as he just started to walk away; something in me caught what he meant but I was in disbelief wondering maybe I am getting the wrong idea, my brain knew that the idea I gripped was 100% right....it was the heart that needed acceptance...I wanted to ask but ....before I could have, his body was already way away from mine...there were tears in my eyes and I knew they were in his too...the only difference? Mine didn't rolled down and he wiped them away as he just walked out of my life...

Once again he left while I only see his back...